HPCL dealers face supply shortage

Dealers of PSU Hindustan Petroleum Corporation limited are facing huge losses in the wake of shortage of supplies and have urged the government to restore regular availability of oil to them.

According to HPCL Dealers Association, retail pumps of as many as 160 dealers in six districts of Punjab are running dry. However, IBP and IOCL pumps are getting regular supplies from IOCL, which supplies oil to the PSU dealers.

"Only the HPCL pumps are dry," they said.

We are being given a step motherly treatment because we own HPCL pumps," they said.

The association said the supplies have been short since the past 25 days. The association has written to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting to give directions to IOCL for even distribution of products to all oil companies.

The association members threatened to launch an agitation if their supplies were not restored within a week.